Benfica More Important Than Mackems!

Last updated : 09 April 2013 By Footy Mad - Editor

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Personally, I beg to differ!

We are 90 minutes away from the Europa League semi-final, and a chance of silverware in Amsterdam.

I'd take that above any victory against the Tin-Pot Mackems!

We look for the derby days as soon as the fixtures come out in June, but let's face it - that won't be the case in two months time - because the Mackems won't be IN the Premier League.

We have to move on - we must look to be beating bigger fish than Sunderland - like the Portuguese champions on Thursday.

Sylvain Marveaux: "I don't think we're safe yet.

"Obviously it was important to get the three points against Fulham because we now have a difficult game on Thursday, and then the most important game on Sunday.

"It was good to get three points to have more confidence to be able to play with less stress and pressure, but we still have to carry on winning, especially at the weekend.

"We know how important the (Sunderland) game is for the club and the fans. The situation puts even more importance on this game.

"When we play at home, we play to win, it doesn't matter what team we play.

"But on Sunday it will be a game we cannot lose, for the club, for the fans and to be able to finish the season with less pressure.

"We have two goals to score and we can't concede any.

"We just have to get ourselves ready because everyone is pretty tired after the last two games, but hopefully we'll be able to score quickly and that will make it a different game.

"We'll be trying to get an early goal because that could be important. We have the quality to beat them, although they were a very good team when we played them away.

"I think they can score as well so we will have to be solid."